Atlanta likely had the best farm system in baseball, but that might have changed when Major League Baseball declared 13 prospects free agents in November. The move was a penalty for the Braves’ violations of international signing rules and was accompanied by a lifetime ban for ex-general manager John Coppolella and restrictions on international signings. Still, the Braves could contend as early as 2019. USA TODAY’s Dylan Sinn takes an inside look at the team.

Catcher

The Braves had two catchers post surprising career-best seasons in 2017, getting a combined 31 home runs and 99 RBI from Kurt Suzuki and Tyler Flowers. After last managing double-figure homers in 2011, Suzuki hit 19 in 81 games. His .887 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) was nearly 200 points above his career average. Suzuki and Flowers will be back for 2018 before hitting free agency in 2019. That could be just in time for prospect Alex Jackson to take the reins. The 2014 first-round pick flamed out in Seattle, but he is 21 and slugged .480 across high A and Class AA in 2017.

First base

Freddie Freeman has been a very good first basemen since 2013, but he made another leap in 2017. The 28-year-old set career highs in average, OBP and slugging and a career low in strikeout rate. He likely would have approached 40 homers if he hadn’t broken his wrist and missed 10 weeks. Simply put, first base is the Braves’ most settled position. Freeman is one of the best in all of baseball this side of Joey Votto, and he’s signed through 2021. If Freeman gets hurt again, big slugger Matt Adams provides capable depth.

Depth chart: Freeman, Adams, Johan Camargo

Second base

Ozzie Albies arrived in 2017 and immediately grabbed hold of the second-base job. The 20-year-old is already a plus defender and above average with the bat. It’s rare for such a young player to reach the majors, but he left the Braves no choice after he hit .285 with nine home runs and 21 steals in 99 games at Class AAA. Albies rewarded their faith in him after his call-up with a .810 OPS. He also struck out 18% of the time, suggesting major league pitching wasn’t overwhelming him. Albies is a future star, and the second-base position is his to lose going forward.

Depth chart: Albies, Camarago, Dansby Swanson, *Travis Demeritte

Third base

Third base was a black hole for the Braves offensively in 2017. Jace Peterson, Adonis Garcia and Rio Ruiz split time at the position, but none posted an OPS above .635. Ruiz is the youngest, at 23, so he might have an opportunity to claim the position. But he was never a great hitter in the minors, so expectations will be low. Austin Riley, a 2015 sandwich-round pick (41st overall), had a breakout season in Class AA in 2017, hitting .315 with a .389 on-base percentage and .511 slugging percentage at 20. Though he’s below-average defensively, he could be the best option in 2019 and beyond.

Depth chart: Riuz, Garcia, *Riley

Shortstop

2015 No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson was the opening-day shortstop after a solid 38-game performance in his first big-league action at the end of 2016. After hitting .302 in those 38 games, though, he batted .232 with an anemic .324 slugging percentage. Swanson struggled so much at the plate that he was briefly sent back to the minors in July. He’ll still be the starter going into 2018, but the leash will likely be much shorter. If he still doesn’t hit, Camargo, a fellow 23-year-old, could fill the void until the former Vanderbilt star figures things out. Another option would involve Albies moving to short, which he has the athleticism to do.

Depth chart: Swanson, Charlie Culberson, Camargo, Albies

Left field

Matt Kemp, once one of the most talented players in baseball, was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five-player trade. With Kemp out of the picture, career minor leaguer Lane Adams got his first shot at extended MLB playing time in 2017 and impressed, hitting .275 with some pop in 122 plate appearances.

Depth chart: Adams, Matt Adams, Preston Tucker, *Ronald Acuna

Center field

Ender Inciarte has been one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball almost since the day he made his debut in 2014, winning Gold Gloves in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, he made a leap offensively, posting a career-high .759 OPS that was just above major league average. He also managed double-figure homers for the first time in his career, finishing with 11. Although his defense took a step back from elite to merely good, he was named to his first All-Star team. At 27, and signed through 2021 for about $25 million, Inciarte is entrenched in center field as he enters his prime. His primary backup in 2018 will likely be the Braves’ top prospect, Ronald Acuna.

Depth chart: Inciarte, * Acuna, Lane Adams

Right field

With Enciarte set in center field, the Braves face a conundrum in right field. Veteran Nick Markakis has been the regular there for three years and has one year remaining on his contract. He wasn’t good in 2017, but he was passable, and he’s a known commodity. However, Acuna was USA TODAY’s Minor League Player of the Year. He tore up three different levels of the minors in 2017, culminating in a .344 average in 243 Class AAA plate appearances. He is also a natural center fielder and likely would have been the second-best defensive outfielder on the Braves roster in 2017, behind Inciarte. Still, Acuna won’t turn 20 until December and hasn’t made his MLB debut yet. He probably deserves to play, but he has a lot to prove. The most likely scenario is Acuna splitting time at the corner spots and occasionally spelling Inciarte in center. If he proves he can hit, Acuna could supplant Markakis as the starter in right.

Depth chart: Markakis, Tucker, * Acuna, Lane Adams

Rotation

The Braves starting rotation gained two starters in the five-player trade with the Dodgers/ They added Brandon McCarthy and Scott Kazmir to the mix of talented young arms, both in the majors and working their way through the minors. Julio Teheran has been the staff’s workhorse, pitching at least 185 innings in five consecutive seasons. He had a down year in 2017 but is 26. Fellow 26-year-old Mike Foltynewicz owns a fastball that averages 96 and set a career high with 154 innings last season. Below them, the kids began arriving in 2017. Sean Newcomb (24), Luiz Gohara (21) and Max Fried (23) all made their debuts and showed plenty to get excited about. The left-hander Gohara stood out due to his youth and combination of velocity and command. They could be joined next season by 2015 first-round picks Kolby Allard and Mike Soroka, who were excellent in Class AA in 2017. The surplus of pitching also gives the Braves flexibility to shore up other positions down the road through trades.

Bullpen

The Braves had one of the league’s worst bullpens in 2017, ranking 26th with a 4.58 ERA and blowing 23 saves. Still, there were some bright spots. Closer Arodys Vizcaino had a career-low walk rate and saved 14 games in 17 chances. Despite making his MLB debut in 2011, he is 27 and should be the Braves closer the next time they’re in contention. A.J. Minter, 24, made his major league debut and struck out 26 in 15 innings. His high-90s fastball and devastating slider should make him a late-inning fixture in 2018 and beyond. The relief corps is patchwork, but the Braves have so much young pitching that whomever doesn’t work in the rotation will get a chance in the bullpen.

Top 5 prospects

1. Ronald Acuna, OF: Acuna exploded from advanced Class A to AAA with a .325 batting average and 21 home runs. He pounds pitches with a compact swing and has lightning quick hands. At 19, he is not yet physically mature but has plus raw power and stole 44 bases in 2017.

2. Luiz Gohara, LHP: Just 21, Gohara made his major league debut after starting the season at high Class A. He racked up 178 strikeouts over 153 total innings with a fastball that can reach triple figures, a changeup and a tight slider with two-plane movement. With the best raw stuff in the organization, he’s ready to pitch effectively in the majors.

3. Kyle Wright, RHP: The fifth overall pick of the 2017 draft, Wright has the makings of a top-of-the-rotation starter. His features a two-seam fastball with plus arm-side movement, while a hard curveball is his best breaking pitch. The 22-year-old should ascend to Class AA.

4. Kolby Allard, LHP: Allard, 20, posted a 3.18 ERA over 150 innings at Class AA. A 12-6 curveball is his best pitch, but everything works off a two-seam fastball with plus sink. Allard should graduate to Class AAA and could debut in 2018.

5. Joey Wentz, LHP: Wentz dominated Class A with a 2.60 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 1312/3 innings pitched. At 6-5, he stays tall and falls with deceptive delivery, creating downward plane on his pitches. He features a two-seam fastball and 12-6 curve. Wentz will start at advanced Class A.